abstracted

1 of 2

adjective

ab·​stract·​ed ab-ˈstrak-təd 

ˈab-ˌstrak-

1

: withdrawn in mind : inattentive to one's surroundings

said hello but seemed abstracted

2

: abstract sense 4

abstracted geometric shapes

abstractedly adverb

abstractedness noun

abstracted

2 of 2

past tense and past participle of abstract entry 3

Synonyms of abstracted

Adjective

• preoccupied
• distracted

Choose the Right Synonym for abstracted

abstracted, preoccupied, absent, absent-minded, distracted mean inattentive to what claims or demands consideration.

abstracted implies absorption of the mind in something other than one's surroundings, and often suggests reflection on weighty matters.

walking about with an abstracted air

preoccupied often implies having one's attention so taken up by thoughts as to neglect others.

too preoccupied with her debts to enjoy the meal

absent stresses inability to fix the mind on present concerns due more to mental wandering than to concentration on other matters.

an absent stare

absent-minded implies that the mind is fixed elsewhere and often refers to a habit of abstractedness.

so absent-minded, he's been known to wear mismatched shoes

distracted may suggest an inability to concentrate caused by worry, sorrow, or anxiety.

was too distracted by grief to continue working

Examples of abstracted in a Sentence

Adjective

She said hello but she seemed a bit abstracted.

the man on the train seemed somewhat abstracted, and he did indeed forget to get off at his stop

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

As materials pass through hubs like Singapore, their origins often become increasingly abstracted. — Y-Jean Mun-Delsalle, Forbes.com, 19 Mar. 2026

Affecting meaningful change — or suffering from the lack of it — has become so abstracted for the rich and powerful that everything feels like entertainment to them. — David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 7 Sep. 2025

Once solar time in Greenwich had been carried, night and day, around the spinning globe, time became highly abstracted, cut away from its animal home so as to be more easily figured both geologically and evolutionarily. — Lewis Hyde, Harpers Magazine, 18 June 2025

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

from past participle of abstract entry 3

First Known Use

Adjective

1643, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for abstracted

• attracted
• compacted
• contacted
• detracted
• diffracted
• distracted
• enacted
• exacted
• extracted
• impacted
• protracted
• reacted

Kids Definition

abstracted

adjective

ab·​stract·​ed ab-ˈstrak-təd 

ˈab-ˌstrak-

: preoccupied sense 1, absentminded

abstractedly adverb

abstractedness noun